Stop signal for crossings



Dec. 11, 1923. 1,477,296

W. B. TABOR STOP SIGNAL FOR CROSSINGS Filed May 23. 1922 2 Sheets-$heetl "Dec. 11,1923. 1,477,296

w. B. TABOR STOPSIGNAL FOR GROSSINGS Filed May 23. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet?6'4 I Mam 7'04? Mum/15. Z750 of the city Patented Dec. ll, 1923.

I UHTED ST'ES Fro) D. MARTIN, OF.G-ILLESPIE, ILLINOIS. I

STOP SIGNAL FOR CROSSINGS.

A Application filed May 23, 1922. Serial No. 562,964.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM B. TABOR, a citizen of the United States,and resident of New Douglas, county of Madison, and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop Signals forCrossings, of which the following is a specification containing a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in stop signals for crossings, andhas for its primary object a signal which will automatically indicate astop or flash a danger signal for railway crossings whenever a car ortrain of cars approaches within a predetermined distance of saidcrossing.

A further object is to construct a stop or danger signal for railwaycrossings which is operated automatically by the passage of cars on theright of way of railway, but one which will not obstruct traflic overthe crossing in the event that the approachin vehicle is too close tocome to; a'stop.

l y device is intended to obviate the use of crossing switch men andgates across rallway crossings, which obstruct the railroad and preventthe passage of vehicles,

which has frequently happened. where crossing gates are made use of, andthe gates consequently lowered that a vehicle approaching a crossing wastraveling at such a rate of speed as to prevent its being stopped, inwhich case it crashed into the gates, frequently injuring the passengersof the vehicle, and at times injuring the vehicle to such anextent thatitcame to a stop directly in the path of the approaching danger.

By the use of my device the vehicles are properly warned,'but at thesame. time permitted the free passage in the event that they are tooclose to the crossing at the time the signal is flashed to cross thedanger point. I

In the drawings, 7 I

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of my device with the crossing signal tripped.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line crossing.

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged fragmental sectional view of the latchingmechanism. 1 I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fra'gmental sectional view of one of the trippinglevers.

In the construction of my device? represents the railway tracks, 8 theties, and 9 the crossing. At each end ofthe crossing are erected posts10, to which is secured a sign board 11 bearing a suitable inscriptionso as to notify the passengers on the highway that they are approachinga railway On each side of the crossing 9 are arms or bell crank levers12 which are joined at their top ends by a sign board 13. This signboard has preferably imprinted or painted thereon, the words Stop,danger, and alsobears a red light or danger signal 14. The opposite ends'of the arms 12 are secured to a shaft 15 which is mounted in bearingssecured to certainfof the ties 8. These arms 12 are secured eitherbymeans of pins driven through the arms and shaft, or by any othersuitable means, so" that. the shaft cannot rotate wi'thoutoperating thearms. Centrally of the shaft15 and secured in a similar manner is a,sleeve 16. This sleeve has a horizontal projecting por- WILLIAM B.TABOR, OF NEW DOUGLAS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO ALBEB'I tion17 which projects beneath the base I for the purpose of engaging theflanges of the railway "car. The portion 17 has an integrally formedtooth or projection 20 which engages with'the latch 21. This latch issecured in a housing 22, which housing is mounted between two of theties. -The latch" 20 is controlled or moved forward by means of a coilspring 23. Securedto the latch 21 is a pin 24 which projects through aslot 25 formed in the housing 22', and to the pin 24. is secured a cableor other flex- .ible means 26. This cable passes around a pulley 27secured to the housing 22, its free end is securedto a rod or cable 28.The opposite end of the rod or cable 28 is secured to the end 29 of thetriplever 30. This trip lever is pivotally mounted at a point.

31 in the bracket 32 and this bracket 32 is secured to the railwayties'at any predetermined distance from the crossing. Surrounding therod or cable 28 are coil springs 33 and 34. The purpose of the spring 33isto pull the rod 28 backward and assist in relieving,

the spring 23, while the purposeof the spring 34 is to allow the leverto be tilted in the. direction indicated bythe arrow B in Fig. 6, andreturn it to its original position. The arrow A in the same figure,

indicating the-direction in which the lever is operated to trip thesignal. Inotherof their downwardmovement.

- upward. This movement; engages the tooth with the latch 21 andsupports the warning signal 13 in raised position, so.

The operationiofmy device is as follows: After the device hasbeenproperly installed at a crossing,- the armsv 10' are lifted .thatit. will beihidden by the board-or sign 11,. .(see: dotted lines, Fig.3.) If a vehicle on-the rightof way of the railway-is approaching fromeither direction, it will strike. the .trip lever '30 when reaching apredetermined distance from the crossing. This movement of the triplever 30 will operate onevof the rods 28, withdrawv the latch 21, andrelease the tooth 20. This allowsthe bell crank levers orarmslQ to trip,carrying with them the danger signal or board-13,- which becomes avisible beneath the board 11,thus-warning the traffic that there isdanger in crossing. This tripping of the-signal alarmwill raise theplate 19 asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

soon as the vehicle-on the tracks reachesthiscplat-e the wheel flangesthereof will contact with the plate and force it downward so that thetooth 20 can again engage Y -witlr the latch :21," thus automaticallyresetting the signal,its continued movement will trip theppposite lever31, but this movement beingin the retrograde will 'not again 13111) thedanger signal.

.hand, or it ,may be an electric light-which will. automatically lightwhen the signal has been lowered.

This may be accomplished invarious ways.

the tracks andsengage-either= with the cow catcher, fender, or axles ofa railway coach, and is only designed to tripthemlanger signal whenstruck in thedirection indicated by the arrow A 111 Fig. 6. The oppositedirection indicated by the arrow B -hav -ing no effect on tlietrippingof the danger signal,-wh-ile. the restoring of the signal ;toa;clearpassage over. the right of wayby the actionof the flanges :of the wheelsis accomplished only when the wheelspass the center-of the crossing, sothat there is no possibility of the device being set 'atsthe 315.31rcrossing while Zthe -:reilway .coach .is

The light let I may be ignited every night-by a section on either sideof the crossing,

so that my a. freighter passenger train is travelling over the crossing,the device will be tripped by the locomotive when comingwvithin apredetermined distance of the crossing, and as soon as the front truckof the engine strikes the plates 19, the crossing will again show clear,but .in this event, the crossing will still be blocked by the remainingcoaches or cars beingdrawn by the locomotive,gso that thereis nodanger'o-f a vehicle attempting; to cross over.

Having fully described my invention,

what I claim is: a

1.. A stop signal for railway crossings comprisingin. combination with:a :railway trackand ties, a bearing-secured t-osaid ties and on eachside of the crossing, a shaft crossing, a sleeve securedto said shaft-;midway its-lends, a horizontal; pro ectmga-portion formed integralwithwsaidsleeve and extending: beneath the basekflangewof the rails, a'verticalportion-terminating in a tal portion: and lying :alongtheinside edge mounted in said bearings a-bell crank lever 1 flat plateformed integral with the :horizonlot the ball of thefrail, atooth:formed hate I gral with the-horizontal projecting :por-- tion, -aspringactuated .latch 'adapted -to engage with saidtooth, a-lever located between said traeksf'oireach side of the crossing and at a;predetermineddistance therefrom, a rod secured to said lever, cables-secured tosaid-rod and-latch, and -a' fixed sign extending across saidclossing,said fixed sign normally covemng the sign board carried by thebell crank levers. 2. A stop :--s1gnal I'EOI'JHJIIWHY crossingscomprising incombmation :with-a railway trackand ties. a bearing securedto certain of said ties on. each-side of the c-rossingand on eachSlClP/Of theztrack, a shaft mounted in said bearing, a. bell crank'leverlocated The -,ope-rat1ng lever is so 1 on each side =ofi the crossingandhaving one constructed. as to extend upward between arm thereofextending horizontally and-secured to the shaft, the other arm:extending crossing, asleeve secured to .said shaftmid- -way its'endsand-having a horizontal portion formed integral therewith, saidfl'hori-'vertical, a sign boardwtothe vertical arms of said levers and extendingacross the 1m 1 zont-al portion extending,."beneathvthe base flange ofthe rails,.-'a?flat,plate 'formed antegral with said. horizontal;portion vand lying along the inside ea ene thehall of theirail',

said'ifiat plate adapted to be contacted with by the flange of therailway wheeheattooth engage with said tooth, a lever located betweensaid tracks and at a predetermined distance, from each side of thecrossing, a rod secured to one end of saidlever, springs surroundingsaid rod and adapted to normally hold the lever in vertical position,cables attached to said rods and said latch said cables adapted tooperate said latch when the lever is operated in one direction 10 onlyand allowing the lever to operate in the the crossing, said signnormally tending to cover the sign board carried by the bell cranklevers whereby the same will only become visible when the latch and thetooth have been disengaged.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM B. TABOR.

